San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller returned to the team ahead of Game 4 of the National League Division Series after missing Game 3 on the postseason paternity list. His wife, Jordan, gave birth to their son, Lincoln, on Tuesday night while San Diego secured a 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
When the San Diego Padres announced just 45 minutes before first pitch on Tuesday that closer Mason Miller would not be available for Game 3, it sent a jolt through a fanbase watching their team face elimination. Trailing 2-0 in the best-of-five National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Padres lost their bullpen anchor as his wife, Jordan, went into labor with their first child just hours before the game.
Miller was placed on MLB’s postseason paternity list, with left-hander Wandy Peralta stepping onto the roster in his place. Postseason paternity rules give players a one- to three-day window away from the team. While some online commentators criticized the timing, teammates and management defended the decision, emphasizing that family took precedence over the diamond.
As manager Craig Stammen noted, the Padres have made it a point to accommodate players welcoming children during October, having managed two such births during the month. Right-hander Walker Buehler also began the series on the paternity list before being activated ahead of Game 3. For Miller, the choice to be with his wife over the team was clear, though he acknowledged leaving his teammates in a difficult spot during a tight postseason series.
Michael King and the Bullpen Step Up in Miller’s Absence
With Miller in the delivery room, San Diego manager Craig Stammen needed unusual heroics from a taxed pitching staff.
Three relievers — Jason Adam, Yuki Matsui, and Bradgley Rodriguez — combined for 2 2/3 innings, getting the Friars through seven frames with a 4-3 lead before Game 2 starter Michael King volunteered to pitch the final two innings on just one day of rest. King surrendered a line drive up the middle in the ninth, but shortstop Xander Bogaerts turned a game-ending double play to seal a gritty 4-3 victory that kept San Diego’s season alive.
How Mason Miller Learned the Padres Survived
As Lincoln made his arrival on Tuesday night, Miller completely disconnected from the outside world. He did not watch the game and did not learn the outcome until everyone was settled in the hospital room.
There’s nothing better than laying there with your baby and your wife and just kind of celebrating everything that has went into this.
A midwife who happened to be a Padres fan delivered the news that San Diego had won. Upon hearing the result, Miller immediately asked who earned the save, assuming it was Morejón, only to learn that King had stepped across on short rest.
Return to Petco Park for Game 4 Elimination Matchup
Miller was officially activated from the paternity list on Wednesday afternoon, replacing Peralta on the roster ahead of Game 4 at Petco Park. Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reported earlier that Miller’s activation would happen before the game.
Walker Buehler is slated to start Game 4 for San Diego, marking his first appearance of the postseason and his first since closing the 2024 World Series. Stammen also stated that King would be available to pitch again if needed, even after throwing 14 innings across two starts in the Padres’ first five playoff games.
